Kay Bailey Hutchison: Giving Texas a scientific advantage

Published: 06 January 2011 06:16 AM

Updated: 10 January 2011 03:19 PM

Texas is uniquely blessed with a thriving network of research
institutions and an inventive spirit that propels us forward in
scientific advancements and technology breakthroughs. We attract
world-class talent, and we are able to realize the full potential
of their work because of our state's leading institutions'
commitment to work collaboratively. These strengths have enabled
Texas to establish an innovation infrastructure that we must
continue to strengthen and expand in order to maintain our leading
edge.

Ten remarkable individuals in Texas are Nobel Laureates, and
their contributions are changing the way we live. Dr. Michael Brown
and Dr. Joe Goldstein of UT Southwestern Medical Center won the
Nobel for their work on cholesterol metabolism 25 years ago. Today,
they are making an equally important contribution by developing
future leaders. In 2004, Brown and I co-founded the Academy of
Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST), in part to
ensure that the tools for achievement are passed down to our
state's burgeoning scientists. After all, we cannot rest on our
Nobel Laureates alone.

On Thursday at TAMEST's annual conference, the Academy's
O'Donnell Awards were presented to honor the next generation of
pioneering innovators in Texas. Dr. J.C. Chiao, an electrical
engineering professor at the University of Texas at Arlington and
adjunct associate professor of internal medicine at UT
Southwestern, received the engineering award for developing sensors
to test treatments for illnesses that can lead to cancer. Chiao
merged his expertise in electrical engineering and internal
medicine resulting in this innovative device.

I applaud their achievements and look forward to watching their
promising careers unfold.

One reason for the acceleration of achievement in Texas is that
our research institutions collaborate, rather than compete. Prior
to the founding of TAMEST, a silo approach to research was
prevalent, and institutions were largely unaware of the work being
conducted around the state. There was also an element of
competition. But now they work cooperatively to maximize the impact
of their efforts, hastening the rate of innovations.

For example, UT Southwestern, UT-Dallas and UTA are combining
the efforts of their top-ranked researchers to develop cutting-edge
MRI scanning to help treat brain diseases like traumatic brain
injury and Alzheimer's.

UTA, in conjunction with the Consortium for Nanomaterials for
Aerospace Commerce Technology, is developing nanotechnology
applications to recharge PDAs. The technology is also being applied
to power unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, which are
increasingly being used by the military in Afghanistan, as well as
along the Texas border to detect illicit activity.

The multiplier effect of collaborative partnerships has helped
establish Texas as an innovation leader nationally.

The importance of this work is not lost on Congress. We
recognize the long-term value and economic sense of investing in
basic research. As savvy farmers know, you can't eat your seed
corn. Likewise, America must continue investing in research to
foster innovation that fuels the economy.

In December, the America Competes Act, legislation to
reauthorize the key science agencies responsible for supporting
basic research, passed in Congress handily - even in our
constrained budget environment. I am proud the legislation -which
falls under the purview of the Commerce Committee, on which I am
the ranking Republican - was fiscally responsible and eliminates
duplicative federal programs, allowing us to focus investment on
high-value research. It is my hope that this legislation will
provide our research institutions the long-term resources to build
on our state's strong momentum.

With the combination of Texas' strengths and the tools provided
by Congress, I am confident our state will remain the best place in
America to live, to work, to think and to create.

Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior U.S. senator from Texas and
may be reached through hutchison.senate.gov.

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